In Bukavu, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, in communion with the meeting of Tirana, an interreligious meeting was held in the spirit of Assisi that brought together several religious leaders and of civil society of the regional capital of South-Kivu.

It was attended by the religious provincial Catholic leaders and of different Christian denominations, Muslims and Bahaï, who responded to the call of the Community of Sant'Egidio to affirm that peace is always possible.

Tale incontro è significativo perché si è svolto in una regione ancora colpita da conflitti etnici e politici che permangono nella regione orientale della Repubblica Democratica del Congo. Per la prima volta i rappresentanti delle religioni di questa parte del paese si sono ritrovati insieme e più di 350 persone hanno partecipato all’incontro ed hanno voluto firmare l’appello di Pace proposto dalla Comunità di Sant’Egidio.

The representative of the provincial government, Ms. Justine Magala, stressed the importance of this meeting as a contribution to the pacification of society and the education of cohabitation between the religions and groups living in the region. Apart from the religious leaders, there were present the representative of the United Nations Mission (MONUSCO) in South Kivu, Ms Christine Kalapata, the Prosecutor of the Province Jean Claude Bagayamukwe, and representatives of the media and civil society.

In the panel discussions that preceded the meeting, one on "living together" in the South Kivu and the other one on the role of religions and dialogue in the search for peace, it was made clear that the Community of Sant'Egidio is a factor of unity that knows how to give value to the differences of each one: dialogue in the spirit of Assisi may also be in the Democratic Republic of Congo and in a region so hurt by wars such as that of the Great Lakes, a way leading men and women of different religions and cultures to meet, to get out of their group to find that peace is always possible.